CineVerse delved into the mysteries of "The Name of the Rose" last week and uncovered some interesting theories and observations. Here is a summary of the major talking points of that discussion:
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
IMPORTANT MESSAGES AND THEMES ESPOUSED HERE?
· Ignorance, intolerance, and blind faith and obedience
lead to man’s inhumanity and regression
· Oppression leads to suffering and dying of the soul
· What tools do William and Adso use to solve the
puzzle? Reason, logic, laughter and free thought, which are proven to “shed
light” on the mystery and defeat the darkness
o Think about the irony of the abbey: it houses
countless books, which are never accessed by anyone except the librarian and
his assistant
o Several of the murders are connected to a particular
tome: The Second Book of Poetics by Aristotle, which promulgates a strong
support of comedy
o Hence, the “treasure” of the movie is this epitome of
comedy, which serves as a fitting anecdote to the dour, sour attitudes of the
church at the time
THIS PICTURE HAS BEEN
ANALYZED AS A CRITICISM OF ORGANIZED RELIGION AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
PARTICULAR. CAN YOU CITE ANY EXAMPLES THAT SUPPORT THIS THEORY?
· The abbey’s denizens are men who have become
physically grotesque and gargoyle-esque, as if to symbolize the ugliness of
their souls. Why?
o Because they are not allowed to laugh or be joyful or
express any love, except to God
o Their blind faith trumps any rationality, common sense
or logic
o Who is their opposite? William, who is devoted to
reason and appreciates levity, and Adso, who experiences love and is influenced
by William’s values and thus, arguably, becomes more a well-rounded human being
o
The abbey set is shot
to emphasize its oppressive, stark, dark atmosphere: it is often shot from
below to exaggerate how “weighty” and domineering the structure is; and the
structure is a symbol of the church, which makes this a commentary on the
church, one could argue.
o
Women are
depicted as evil, vile, or disposable sexual objects by the clergy; and yet,
although Adso’s peasant lover is disrobed for a cheap Hollywood titillating
effect, the character is shown as evidently beautiful, regardless of her
socioeconomic status and tattered attire. The moral here? Women and the act of
sex are beautiful.
WHAT IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT
“THE NAME OF THE ROSE”?
o
It’s a visually
arresting film, with moody, atmospheric lighting and cinematography, ornate and
detailed sets and costumes that are supposedly historically accurate based on
meticulous research
o
Setting the
mystery within a labyrinthine library creates a shrewd metaphor for the
maze-like twists and turns of the murder investigation
o
The film
challenges you to pay attention: several languages are used, the pace is a bit
drawn out and offbeat, and the whodunit mystery keeps you guessing
o
William is a
charismatic, likable hero cast in the mold of Sherlock Holmes and William of
Ockham
o
Likewise, Adso is
William’s Watson sidekick
WHAT OTHER MOVIES AND
BOOKS DOES “NAME OF THE ROSE” REMIND YOU OF?
· The Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
· It’s within the “semiotic” anthropological mystery
sub-genre, which focuses on studying symbols and signs within historical
artifacts, along with films like:
o The DaVinci Code
o Angels & Demons
o The National Treasure films
o The Harry Potter series
OTHER FILMS BY
JEAN-JACQUES ANNAUD
· Quest for Fire
· The Bear
· Seven Years in Tibet
· Enemy at the Gates
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